Heavy metals in lake water: a review on occurrence and analytical determination

Many lakes especially in Asia are source of livelihood for the surrounding communities. With increased urbanisation and industrialisation, however, these lakes are threatened with emerging environmental contaminants, including heavy metals. Some heavy metals are harmful to human health and the environment. This review aims to describe the different sampling, sample preparation and pretreatment, and instrumental methods of analysis for heavy metals in lake water. Filtration and acid digestion are common sample treatment methods used prior to analytical determination. Atomic absorption spectroscopy and inductively-coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) are typical analytical techniques but nowadays ICP-MS is frequently used. This review also describes the sources and extent of heavy metals contamination in different lakes. Although some lakes still have natural levels of heavy metals in the water, many have elevated concentrations due to anthropogenic sources, such as vehicular, household, agricultural, industrial and mining activities.